LOTR: The Mincraft Player

Whoosh.

In an instant, scorching flames engulfed Garrett completely, even heating the nearby stone walls until they hissed and cracked. The radiating heat distorted the very air around him.

[Fire Resistance (8:00)]

Drawing his longsword, he slashed through the lingering flames. He could feel the heat surrounding him and took a steadying breath, his heart pounding.

Thankfully, he'd been quick enough with the potion, he'd chugged a bottle of fire resistance just in time. No doubt about it, that blast of dragon-fire had serious force behind it; if he'd hesitated even a moment longer, he might have been sent flying.

"Oh? You didn't die. Pity."

From deep within the passage, a massive presence surged forward, rushing toward Garrett with thunderous steps.

Boom.

A gust of wind tore through the corridor, and in the blink of an eye, a mountain-sized form blocked the far end. A massive dragon's head dipped low, one enormous eye, larger than a warrior's shield, locking onto the tiny figure below. That gaze was filled with curiosity, so much so that the beast didn't immediately resume its attack.

"So you're the insect the Dark Lord spoke of. Did you truly think being fireproof alone would be enough to challenge me? How naive. Hahahahaha..."

The dragon's maw stretched into a wicked grin, releasing a deep, rumbling laugh that echoed through the stone halls.

Garrett quickly assessed the creature, estimating it to be at least a hundred meters from snout to tail.

This was Smaug the Mighty, the greatest fire-drake of the Third Age, and the last of the great Fire-drakes of the North.

"So you're Smaug?"

"Indeed. What brings you to my halls? After treasure, perhaps? Something hidden in my mountain? Or did someone send you here to be my afternoon meal?"

"I've been expecting you... But I simply don't see it. The Dark Lord spoke highly of you, yet aside from your fire resistance, I perceive see nothing special about you."

"Maybe I'm not the person you're talking about. I've never even heard of this 'Dark Lord' you mention."

"Hehehehe..."

Smaug raised his great head, then lowered it again, this time fixing Garrett with his other baleful eye.

"Attempting to deceive the mighty Smaug? Don't think I cannot see through your pathetic ruse."

"Who sent you? Surely it cannot be just you alone? No, I think not. You must have some other purpose. You sealed the entrance behind you... afraid I might depart. Why? What lies beyond that you're so desperate to protect?"

"Are you perhaps... concerned about the race of Men?"

Tsk.

This infuriatingly talkative dragon was clearly more cunning than most gave him credit for.

"To be honest, I thought you were either asleep or dead. Haven't heard anything about dragons in a long time."

Garrett played it casual, chatting with the beast while secretly placing blocks from his inventory to create a small platform.

"Mmm... I was indeed sleeping until recently. Someone roused me with an interesting proposition. Care to guess what it might have been?"

"Not interested," Garrett said deliberately.

But the less he wanted to hear, the more Smaug insisted on sharing.

"He promised that darkness would one day engulf all the lands, and I would become the true King under the Mountain, ruler of the entire North."

"I heard the King under the Mountain is supposed to be a dwarf."

At those words, Smaug immediately reared up, showcasing his towering, magnificent form.

"Behold, who among us is more fitting for such a title?"

Garrett looked up, though not to admire the dragon's imposing stature. His eyes swept across the creature until they found what he was searching for, there, on Smaug's chest.

In the dim passageway, among the gleaming, overlapping scales, there was a small gap. A black arrow was lodged in that spot, and around it, the scales had grown back imperfectly, leaving the flesh beneath only partially protected.

"I'll admit, you're really impressive in size."

"Hehehehe... At least you possess some wisdom. Continue such flattery and perhaps I shall grant you a swift death."

"Do not even consider resistance. Even the mightiest warriors of old fell before my wrath, and none like them walk Middle-earth any longer."

"In those days, I was still young and inexperienced. But now, now I am mightier than ever before. My armor is like tenfold shields, my teeth are swords, my claws are spears. The shock of my tail is a thunderbolt, my wings a hurricane, and my breath... death itself."

"What is your name, mortal?"

In the middle of his boast, the dragon suddenly lowered his head again and fixed Garrett with that penetrating stare.

"You can call me Steve."

There was absolutely no way Garrett was going to reveal his true name.

In Middle-earth, many creatures possessed innate magical abilities, and dragons were among the most gifted in such arts.

He knew full well that this chatty dragon wasn't speaking merely for the pleasure of conversation. Its words carried enchantment, capable of bewitching the mind and compelling people to answer truthfully. That intense draconic gaze was also a natural spell, whoever it focused upon would gradually become obedient to the its will.

Most people would have felt dizzy and confused just from exchanging this many words with Smaug, but to Garrett, it was merely irritating background noise.

Still, all of that could be resisted with sufficient willpower. Except for one crucial thing, if someone revealed their true name to the dragon, they would instantly fall under its complete dominion and become its slave.

"Steve? I have never heard such a name. Do you perhaps have others?"

Smaug was still trying to bait him.

"Oh, I have plenty. I just don't think you'd be able to remember them all."

"What a fascinating mortal you are."

Smaug's eyes narrowed to golden slits.

Not a single one of his enchantments had worked.

A faint glow began to build in the dragon's belly, and it slightly opened its jaws. Just as Smaug prepared to end this tedious conversation with a surprise attack, he suddenly heard... chewing and swallowing sounds?

This human was eating, and drinking, right before his very snout?

The audacity!

Dragon-fire surged into the beast's throat, but just then, Garrett suddenly drew his longsword and struck at the dragon's head with every ounce of his might!

CLANG!!

A deafening metallic crash rang through the corridor, sharp enough to make one's ears ring. The massive dragon head reeled from the unexpected blow, forcing Smaug to stumble backward several steps and crash against the stone wall with a loud boom that shook dust from the ceiling.

The blade shimmered brightly. Thanks to its powerful Knockback enchantment, it was Smaug who was sent reeling, not Garrett, even in a direct clash of pure force.

[-2]

[998/1000]

Damn, that armor and HP are thick, Garrett thought grimly.

For the first time, he truly understood what it felt like to be on the receiving end of his own kind of power. And this was with the benefit of a Strength II potion enhancing his blow, plus, he'd struck what should have been a relatively vulnerable spot on the dragon's skull.

"YOU. FILTHY. WORM!!!"

"YOU DARE STRIKE THE MIGHTY SMAUG?!"

The dragon's belly suddenly blazed with blinding light. A torrent of crimson dragonfire erupted from his maw, engulfing everything in the passage. Flames filled every inch of available space, there was nowhere to flee.

The breath attack lasted for what felt like an eternity, long enough that even the stone walls behind Garrett began to show signs of melting before the inferno finally stopped.

But no matter how intensely Smaug tried to incinerate him, Garrett calmly walked through the flames as if they were no more than a warm summer breeze. His netherite armor remained cold to the touch.

"Impossible..."

This time, Smaug was genuinely shocked. This wasn't merely ordinary fire, this breath was infused with ancient magic and heat that could melt steel, yet this mortal remained completely unharmed.

Even if someone possessed immunity to flame, the sheer concussive force should have done something. In the past, just one such breath had been enough to reduce the stone houses of Dale to rubble.

"You are truly... surprising."

[+1]

[999/1000]

In just a few words, the dragon's health had already begun regenerating.

"There's more where that came from!"

Seeing that his sword wasn't dealing enough damage, Garrett activated the pressure plate he'd placed earlier. From beneath the floor came a faint clicking sound followed by the distinctive hiss of fuses igniting.

The TNT he'd carefully buried in advance had been triggered.

"What is that?" Smaug demanded, confused by the unfamiliar sounds.

But before the great wyrm could react further, Garrett had already dug a small escape tunnel behind himself, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished into the stone like a phantom.